


Soul Meets Soul on Lover's Lips

by t_dragon



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Happy Ending, Inspired by Romeo and Juliet, M/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-20 03:46:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17614832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t_dragon/pseuds/t_dragon
Summary: Love, betrayal, passion, and hatred. Two souls finding each other amidst the chaos - but will they stay joined both spiritually and physically?





	Soul Meets Soul on Lover's Lips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These violent delights have violent ends  
> And in their triumph die, like fire and powder  
> Which as they kiss consume.

 Baekhyun should probably have known, from the very beginning, how things would end. He should have known from the very first moment their eyes met what their destiny would be. And after everything was over and done with, he would probably say that he had known, that he had understood, but that he had ignored it.

 And maybe he did. Maybe he saw their future in those dark eyes burning into him; played out in stark contrasts and rich colors, bursting from gunpowder set ablaze. But it does not matter whether he saw and ignored, or did not see at all, because in the end it still leads to the same result.

  _These violent delights have violent ends._

 

✧∞♡∞✧

 

 The fog hung heavy in the air, cloaking the night streets and leaving a fine dusting of dew across everything it touched. Even in the enclosed courtyard with all of its lit lanterns did the mist cling desperately to the ground, slithering amongst plants - but it was a familiar and rather comforting sight for Baekhyun.

 Out here, by the balustrade illustrating the border between terrace and garden, he could breathe in the fresh air, far enough away from the windows to almost be able to pretend there was no sound to be heard from behind, to almost be able to pretend that he was all alone.

 Of course, that was about as far away from the truth as possible, considering the great feast currently being held in his home, but Baekhyun had learned early to shut himself away in his own little world whenever he needed to. It was an artform, really, an artform he desperately had needed as he grew up, and still did. It was just a shame he had never learned how to bridge into a true alternative dimension, a true separate world - a world where he could not be disturbed and that could not shatter around him with the faintest of interference.

 A melodic call of his name had Baekhyun turn around, watching as his best friend waltzed outside, with all of the grace of someone who knew he looked good and took pride in it.

 Tonight, Jongdae was dressed as a Nix, his shoulder-length black hair flowing like a waterfall from his head, almost meshing with the dark seaweed green of his sleeveless tunic. With his adorable looks and tender voice, Jongdae truly played the part well, and Baekhyun just hoped the younger would not try to drown some sorry stranger in the fountain tonight.

 “What are you doing out here, my dear Baekhyun?” Jongdae purred as he slung his arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders, slumping against him. “Your owl-eyed sweetheart is all alone inside, hawks circling him…”

 “Kyungsoo is more than equipped to deal with foolish birds himself,” Baekhyun drawled, pushing Jongdae off of him. The smell of wine was almost overwhelming, almost pungent enough to form a tangible cloud around Jongdae - and Baekhyun wondered how much Jongdae had drunk and how much had been spilled on him.

 Leaning against the balustrade next to Baekhyun, Jongdae turned to face him, gaze searching, and Baekhyun forced himself to not turn away and hide. The instinct to do so was strong, though Baekhyun had no idea what he wanted to hide.

 “You're not enjoying yourself.” It was a statement, not a question. “You're not enjoying yourself during this Valentine Masquerade, despite the beverages flowing and the people begging for your attention… Why?”

 Himself not even knowing the answer to the question, Baekhyun just shrugged. He should be having the time of his life, drinking and dancing and entertaining, but tonight he felt strange. Anxious, in a way. Skittish and with too much energy that only worsened in the middle of the crowd inside of the ballroom.

 Which was why Baekhyun had fled outside - but he still had no idea what was going on with him.

 “This is strange,” Jongdae hummed, head tilting to the side. “The youngest Byun hiding away from the feast all by himself? Very strange indeed… Unless you heard me coming over, and a pretty little thing is now hiding somewhere in the garden?”

 “As far as I know, no one is hiding in the garden,” Baekhyun said, slightly amused by the thought. “And why would I hide someone in the garden? There are several entrances back inside to use which would have been more logical.”

 Jongdae shrugged as he turned to look out across the courtyard. “You're not always logical when you're panicked. But fine, you're not out here with some new bella or bello, you're not enjoying the masquerade, are you perhaps sick?”

 Baekhyun laughed.

 “Maybe I am. It surely would explain a lot…”

 “Well, then, do you know the best remedy for sickness?” Jongdae asked, his impish smile making an appearance.

 “No, though I have a feeling it has something to do with going back inside,” Baekhyun said with an small smile, tainted with indulgence.

 “Indeed, my dear Baekhyun, indeed!” Jongdae answered, once more putting his arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders, this time not being pushed off. “Some drinks and some attention from a few pretty things, and I am sure you will be back to yourself in no time at all!”

 Even though Baekhyun doubted Jongdae’s claims, he still allowed himself to be dragged back inside, _hoping_ that maybe the claims would be true.

 Maybe Jongdae was magical, and could through his sheer presence turn Baekhyun back to normal? Stranger things had happened, to be honest…

 The heat hit them like a wall as they stepped over the threshold, enveloping them like a suffocating greeting, and it was only Jongdae’s arm around his shoulders that held Baekhyun back from darting outside once more.

 It was dizzying, being in the middle of the mingling masses. Massive costumes, swirling skirts, loud laughter and conversations, making Baekhyun’s head spin. He was used to this, he normally knew how to handle it all, but for some obscure reason he was not tonight. Tonight, it was overwhelming, and he quickly downed the glass of alcohol being pushed into his hand, neither feeling the taste nor the burn of it as it slid down his throat and spread throughout his limbs. He could not even identify what kind of liquid it was, but he did not really care, either. It helped, if only slightly, and help was certainly what he needed right now.

 The music seemed to grow louder as Jongdae handed another glass to Baekhyun, his kittenish grin so mischievous, amusement escaping him in cackles as Baekhyun winced at the horrible taste. This was stronger than whatever he had drunk before, also quicker in spreading throughout him, until Baekhyun felt as if he was spinning faster than the room around him. Louder and louder everything became, as Baekhyun became lighter and lighter, the focal point of Jongdae, the one bind tying Baekhyun to earth, suddenly disappearing and leaving him drifting alone throughout the sea of men and women.

 And then, everything came to a crescendo, so loud and grating that Baekhyun was sure that his eardrums were pierced, before it all just cut out into nothingness, the people in front of him separating to form a short path to something, _someone._ Suddenly, Baekhyun was no longer drunk, the fizz leaving his veins in a spark of electricity, clarity once more taking over as something pulled at his middle, tugging to try to make him move forwards even though he was rooted to the ground.

 The man in front of him stood tall, taller than most of the people present, draped in fiery scarlets and deep maroons, tinted with burgundy and vermilion, crimson and carnelian. His black hair was a stark contrast to the various shades of red, adorned with feathers in azure and cobalt, celeste and indigo. The right half of his face was covered by a beautiful mask, continuing the theme of reds and blues and black, whilst the exposed skin around his left eye and down his cheekbone was graced by rubies and sapphires.

 A Phoenix, born from fire and ashes, burning as bright as the sun in the dimmed lighting, and Baekhyun could not tear his eyes away from the magnificent creature. And when dark eyes met his, he was lost.

 Something flared inside of Baekhyun, a sort of heat, growing from his heart and expanding outwards. He was sure he was glowing, a golden kind of bright light, could almost see it just outside of his peripheral vision, because there was no possible way that the feeling was contained solely inside of him.

 It was too big for that; too big for his heart, his body, his very soul. But how could the touch of a Phoenix be contained by a mere mortal anyway?

 Unable to move as the gentle fire wreaked havoc through his body, but still needing to be closer - to gain the alleviation of bodily touch - Baekhyun raised a single hand into the air. Inviting, _daring_ , the mythological being currently enchanting him to come closer. And he wondered what hid beneath the glamour - or was this the Phoenix true form, his glamour the one of the man having been invited to this Valentine Masquerade?

 Baekhyun had no clue to the truth, but he wanted to know. And he would figure it out, if he so had to tear through every piece of cloth to lay bare the man or beast.

 

✧∞♡∞✧

 

 Chanyeol had no idea what he was doing, standing in the middle of a titanic ballroom, embellished to the point of almost being ridiculous. He had since long been discarded by his friends, lured from his sides with the promise of alcohol and willing companions, and it had obviously not been a hard choice for them to make. Not that Chanyeol blamed them, considering the mood he was in.

 Grumpy and foul, he was nowhere near good company, so he did not fault his friends - though he did not like being left alone. He knew close to no one in this vast room, and he felt as if he was suffocating, quickly drowning, beneath the loud music and chatter and overwhelming amount of people.

 Why were they here again?

 Oh, right, because the Valentine Masquerade was one of the largest feasts of the year, and the perfect place for unwedded to find a spouse, or perhaps something more simple than that. A bed mate for a night, a mutually beneficial arrangement, whatever the agreement became.

 It was not something that appealed to Chanyeol anyway, which was another one of the reasons for his unfavorable mood. But the biggest reason was also the biggest mystery - he simply did not know why he was feeling as he was, and the few reasons he knew were not supposed to be, were normally not, enough for him to be this dramatic.

 Grumbling quietly to himself, not even caring about trying to keep his facade in place - his mask covered half of his face anyway - Chanyeol aimlessly wandered through the throng buzzing around. He felt restless, extremely so, heart beating slightly too fast, blood simmering and thrumming a bit too hotly. Had he drunk anything he would have blamed it on that, but he was completely sober. Maybe he was turning sick? Maybe it was all of the people crowding him? It was probably best if he headed out of this room, out of this home…

 Thinking he could make out someone familiar, Chanyeol headed towards them, to tell whichever of his friends it was that he needed to get out of there, but he had barely taken two steps before he was forced to a stop. Not because of an external force - no, the people around him seemed to have pulled back and away from him, a short pathway having been cleared. This force felt more internal, as if there was something holding his very soul back, as well as pulling at him.

 The force seemed to radiate from somewhere inside of him, as well as on the other side of that pathway. Standing there, seemingly frozen, was a man. And even though he was some way away in full costume, Chanyeol could tell that he was incredibly beautiful.

 The man was like a black hole in the middle of the grand colors permeating the ballroom around them, dressed in darkness from the top of his head and to the tips of his toes. It was as if he had swept the night around his body, clothing himself in nothing but Nox and her consort Erebus. Around his neck sat a collar of black, iridescent feathers, framing his head and flowing down his shoulders, until they thinned out and meshed with his cloak. The top half of his face was covered by a black mask, featuring a small beak, and even more feathers that transferred to weave through his black hair. The mask was infused with tiny sparkling diamonds, but their glistering could not compete with the radiant stars swimming in the dark eyes they surrounded.

 A raven. A wonderful raven, trapped within these mansion walls, and Chanyeol could tell that he did not belong there. He should be flying amongst the clouds, floating black against the vivid azure spanning the ceiling of the world.

 Or maybe he should be a messenger between worlds, the shadow blurring through the veil separating dimensions. Bringing news and information to the gods, observing humanity as they continue through history. Ah, yes, that suited him well... An immortal being watching and learning, before sharing his information with higher powers. Cloaked in the night, borrowing her stars for his eyes - truly a powerful and magnificent existence.

 The soft glowing of the moon suddenly filled Chanyeol, to the brim and over, until he was sure that anyone looking directly at him would be blinded. He himself felt dazzled, everything around him fading until he could see nothing but the lovely raven in front of him.

 And then the lovely raven raised a single pale hand, palm up, slender fingers gently curled - an invitation. An alluring, oh so _tempting_ , invitation, and Chanyeol could not deny it.

 Somehow, he got his feet to work, and step by single step, he managed to move forwards, until he was towering over his lovely raven. Yet with the obvious height difference, Chanyeol felt nearly dwarfed by the man's presence, so overwhelming for some reason. Nearly enough for Chanyeol to fall to his knees right then and there, in the middle of the celebrations of love going on around them.

 But his heart seemed to already have been stolen, so maybe that reaction was warranted?

 Lifting his own hand, Chanyeol placed it, palm down, on top of the raven's - unable to suppress the unforeseen shudder travelling through his body as their skin made contact. Sparks seemed to fly from every point of contact they had, electricity arcing and racing up Chanyeol's veins, and even amongst all of the muted sounds surrounding them, he heard the soft gasp leaving rosy lips.

 It felt nearly empowering, to know that he was not alone in his feelings, and as Chanyeol finally raised his gaze to meet a starry one, he knew without a doubt that the lovely raven felt the same. He could make out curiosity and amazement in the twin galaxies in front of him, as well as uncertainty and a smidge of fear, but Chanyeol understood. After all, this was something new, something unknown, that they were traversing. An unknown sea to sail, unknown land to discover, and that was somewhat terrifying.

 But there was also the excitement of learning of something new, revealing something unknown, and that sentiment was the one quickly taking over Chanyeol, bubbling through him and soothing everything else away.

 "Hello, angel," Chanyeol whispered, taking another step closer until they were almost touching chest to chest, bringing their hands up and slipping his fingers in between his raven's slender ones - a perfect fit.

 A softening of eyes, a curving of lips, adoration nearly radiating off of the man as he almost seemed to try to hold a laughter back. But Chanyeol wanted to hear the sweet tune, for he was sure it would sound just as lovely as the man looked.

 "Angels are pure white, I am tainted darkness," the man said, voice husky in a wonderful kind of way, and Chanyeol felt another part of his heart disappear.

 "A fallen angel is an angel nevertheless," Chanyeol noted, taking pleasure in the gentle snort it earned him. "And you truly possess the beauty of an angel, so why should I not call you as I see you?"

 "I see you know how to properly honey your words, how many beds have they gotten you into?" the raven asked, smile turning into something more... Impish.

 Chanyeol almost laughed out loud at that, at the misconception, but he managed to hold back. Only a snicker made its way out as he lowered his head. Not in shame, but a tinge of timidity coloring his cheeks.

 "None."

 The raven tilted his head, amusement clearing from his face and leaving only curiosity in its wake.

 "None?"

 "None," Chanyeol confirmed. "I... Do not normally flirt with others. This is highly unusual for me, to be very honest, and I am slightly surprised myself at how well I am doing."

 At last, Chanyeol's ears were blessed with the musical tinkling of the raven's laughter; pouring from his lips like a calming forest brook hidden amongst the verdure.

 "How well you are doing? Ah, are you really allowed to evaluate your own efforts?" the raven asked, a cheeky smile now on his lips, and Chanyeol was pleased to discover that his smile was rectangular. How peculiar.

 "Perhaps not, maybe I should ask for your opinion?" Chanyeol hummed. "Should I give you more examples, to make it easier for you to come to a conclusion?"

 "What more examples do you have?" the man asked - no, challenged him, and Chanyeol was not one to step down from a challenge, no matter how obscure it was.

 "Tell me, why are you dressed as a common raven when you are all but common?" Chanyeol inquired - only half in jest. "Surely there has to be some other kind of feathery being more suited for someone as extraordinary as you?"

 "Are you coming up with all of this in this very moment?" the man balked, mouth having dropped open, but Chanyeol could see the slightly amused lift of corners.

 "Yes, I am," Chanyeol assured him. "Your beauty is _incredibly_ inspiring.”

 “You must have lied to me before, inexperience does not sound like this,” the raven argued, sounding so assured.

 “Are you an expert on flirting?” Chanyeol questioned, raising a single eyebrow - his uncovered one. “Have you been lured into many beds by honeyed words, perhaps?”

 The raven’s lips turned up into a smirk, so dark, prompting a shiver down Chanyeol’s spine.

 “Been lured, been luring, who knows?” he murmured, and it was enough of an answer for Chanyeol.

 Another layer being added to this enchanting being, more complexity - but at the same time another piece to the puzzle. How did you discover someone by them turning more and more intricate in your mind? Was logic even applicable in getting to know someone?

 All of a sudden, another person stumbled into the raven, in turn making him bump into Chanyeol, and just like that they were reminded that they were not alone in this grand ballroom, but rather in the middle of probably hundreds of other guests. It was almost a brutal awakening, everything that Chanyeol had managed to ignore up until now washing over him and pulling him down.

 The man in front of him seemed just as brought out of balance as Chanyeol was, glancing around, before turning around and walking away. And if he had not kept his hold on Chanyeol’s hand, Chanyeol would have thought he was being left behind and alone, something he really did not want to happen right now. There was still so much he wanted to learn about this mysterious little bird!

 The crowd thinned out around them, until they reached the large windows as well as the doors leading outside, but the man did not stop there. He continued outside onto the terrace, pulling Chanyeol along - and further yet. Stepping down the stairs and mingling with the mist, until they were surely lost in the darkness, hidden from the torches, only the soft face of Luna above somewhat illuminating them.

 Suddenly feeling so courageous, Chanyeol lifted his free hand to the man’s face. Gripping the exquisite mask, he gently removed it, slowly exposing the hidden features beneath. Cute nose, slightly droopy eyes rimmed with kohl - he truly was as incredibly handsome as Chanyeol had suspected from the very first glance.

 “Truly gorgeous,” Chanyeol breathed, overcome with the beauty in front of him. With a small smile, the raven turned his face into the hand now cupping his face, and Chanyeol wondered if it was not a blush he could feel heating his palm.

 “Hyperbole,” the man whispered back, but Chanyeol shook his head in denial before he had even finished.

 The raven was for sure the most beautiful man, most beautiful _person_ , Chanyeol had ever had the pleasure of seeing, even if the man himself did not agree. But agreement was not necessary. Chanyeol’s eyes did not lie.

 Returning the favor, the man cupped Chanyeol’s face with the hand still interlaced with Chanyeol’s own, as the other hand carefully removed Chanyeol’s mask, gaze darting to every feature uncovered, as if to memorize them all. The gesture warmed Chanyeol’s heart; another testament to them sharing the experience.

 “So handsome,” the raven mumbled, voice nearly vibrating with honesty, and Chanyeol suddenly felt the need to hide as he felt the heat creep up his cheeks and warm his ears.

 But instead of running away, Chanyeol for some reason decided to lean down to capture those delectable lips. Perhaps he had desired to do so for quite some time, but to just randomly do so? This delightful being seemed to bring out more hidden parts of Chanyeol than anyone would have expected - and Chanyeol did not mind in the least.

 Especially, certainly, not as he finally tasted the delicious velvet.

  _Oh, the sweetness._

 

✧∞♡∞✧

 

 Baekhyun had kissed quite a few people in his lifetime, but nothing had ever come close to the explosivity that was kissing his phoenix.

 Behind his eyelids, several fireworks exploded, painting the sky in the various shades of the unknown man’s costume, as if to make sure that Baekhyun truly knew just who he was kissing. And Baekhyun knew - he knew it down to his toes, all the way into his very soul. Without knowing as much as a name, he still knew those lips, that warmth, that scent, that _feeling._

 Some found the notion of soulmates ridiculous, and once upon a time, Baekhyun had been one of them. But with every brush of lips against lips, his own hands clutching hair, the phoenix’s hands stabilizing yet urging on his hips, Baekhyun started to reconsider his own stance of the phenomenon.

 Surely, one could not feel so strongly for someone as Baekhyun felt for this unknown man just _minutes_ after first meeting, if they were not meant to be? Two hearts beating to the same rhythm, two souls attuned - this was a true love’s kiss, soul meeting soul on lovers’ lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you notice how fun I had using colors to describe? :> and yes, it's very over the top, because I can heh!


End file.
